Ex-Minnesota Senator Nicole Mitchell sentenced to work release, probation for burglary

Ex-Minnesota Senator Nicole Mitchell sentenced for burglaryFormer Minnesota Sen. Nicole Mitchell has avoided a lengthy prison sentence for burglarizing her stepmother’s home, at least for now.

Former Minnesota Sen. Nicole Mitchell has avoided a lengthy prison sentence for burglarizing her stepmother’s home, at least for now.

A Becker County judge sentenced Mitchell on Tuesday morning to 180 days on work release in Ramsey County. That means she’ll be confined for roughly six months but will be allowed to leave for work each day, then report back to the jail after her shift.

She also will have to spend five years on supervised probation and received a stayed a 21-month prison sentence. Only if she violates the terms of her probation would Mitchell then have to serve that prison time.

The state had asked for a stronger sentence and opposed allowing Mitchell to serve her sentence outside Becker County.

To allow Mitchell to get her first paycheck and qualify for work release in Ramsey County, the judge ordered Mitchell to report for her sentence by Oct. 8 or whenever she receives her first check, whichever is sooner.

Statements from the victim and her niece were read in court before the judge handed down his sentence. Mitchell also spoke briefly.

“I deserve to be here today. The things said and the harm I caused are real things and I completely abide by whatever you think is fair,” Mitchell said in court on Tuesday.

Watch Mitchell’s full remarks in the video player below.

Background

Police found Mitchell in the basement of her estranged stepmother’s home in Detroit Lakes, dressed in all black with a flashlight tucked into her waistband, on April 22, 2024. Nicole Mitchell’s stepmother, Carol, had called 911 after she allegedly encountered Nicole crawling on the floor of her bedroom.

Mitchell had claimed she went to her stepmother’s home only to check on her because of health concerns but she also told police she was there to retrieve items belonging to her late father.

RELATED: Sen. Nicole Mitchell found guilty on both counts in her burglary trial

A jury found her guilty of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools back in July following a weeklong trial. She resigned from the Minnesota Senate a week later.

While Mitchell faced up to 20 years in prison for the burglary conviction, she was always expected to receive a far lighter sentence given her lack of criminal history.

Mitchell’s seat in the state Senate remains vacant, although a special primary election was held last month. The winners, current DFL State Representative Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger and Republican Dwight Dorau, will be on the ballot on Nov. 4 to represent District 47, which includes Woodbury and part of Maplewood.

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Nicole Mitchell to be sentencedThe former state senator is scheduled to learn her punishment for burglarizing her step-mother’s home on Tuesday morning.

Sen. Nicole Mitchell found guilty of burglary
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